Pollock Halls of Residence are located near Arthur's Seat and the Commonwealth Pool in southeast Edinburgh, a short walk from the city centre.


Pollock Halls, Edinburgh: image from Oberlanders Architects

Pollock Halls: Chancellor's Court Halls of Residence, Edinburgh University


Pollock Halls, Edinburgh: image from Oberlanders Architects

Pollock Halls is a landscaped home to many of the University of Edinburgh's halls of residence. Adjacent to Holyrood Park and beneath Arthur's Seat and Salisbury Craigs, the expansive grounds were once the gardens of the historic houses, Salisbury Green and St. Leonard's Hall.

Development of the land as student residences began at the southern end of the grounds with the Scandinavian influenced collegiate courtyard residences of Holland House and Fraser House. Subsequent though lesser quality development continued northwards, predominantly with a series of six tower-like blocks arranged symmetrically about a refectory block, all constructed to serve Edinburgh's staging of the Commonwealth Games and coinciding with construction of the adjacent Commonwealth Pool swimming venue.

Under the careful management of the Edinburgh University Landscape Section, the grounds of Pollock Halls became a renowned and much admired landscape both as an amenity and as an educational botanical resource.

St Leonard's Hall
Date: 1869
Architect: John Lessels
Status: Listed

Salisbury Green House
Date: 1867
Architect: John Lessels

Holland House, first block of purpose-built Pollock Halls buildings
1959
William Kininmonth

Pollock Halls original buildings : William Kininmonth



Pollock Halls context : Commonwealth Pool

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Pollock Halls - New Student Building

Pollock Halls residence by Oberlanders

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Pollock Halls student residences : Oberlanders Architects

Pollock Halls context : Scottish Widows